Sri Lanka's stylist in strife

March 3rd 2009: The Sri Lankan team led by Mahela Jayawardene rode through the streets of Lahore for day three of the second Test against hosts, Pakistan. At first, his team-mates were commenting, 'Why should anyone let off firecrackers at eight in the morning'? But then as a dozen masked gunmen fired and threw grenades at the Sri Lankan team bus, they realized that they were under attack. Mahela got hit and so was his best mate Kumar Sangakkara - struck by a shrapnel - they were among seven players to have endured injuries.

After a few weeks of recovery, the undeterred Islanders were back on the field for the T20 World Cup in England, where they progressed to the final.

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11,000-plus Test runs, the claimant of the highest individual score by a right-handed batsman in the history of Test cricket, the most runs by a Number 4 in Tests behind Sachin Tendulkar, the most capped Sri Lankan Test cricketer, centuries in all Test playing nations except South Africa, where he missed out by an agonizing margin of 2 runs, 202 Test catches (only behind Rahul Dravid), the first batsman to aggregate 2500 Test runs at a particular venue (SSC, Colombo).

Mahela Jaywardene is an undisputed legend. Stats may serve to have a purpose, but do not always portray true impact. Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene is more than just a cricketing great.

Mahela Jayawardene is no stranger to strife. He scored the bulk of his runs when his county was torn apart by the civil war - a 26-year conflict involving cruel suicide bombings, land and sea battles. Mahela's style and success brought immense joy and harmony to an otherwise war raged, tsumani-affected nation. His wristy flicks and magical drives makes even the pragmatic break into a melody.

Mahela's calmness is hard-won and stalks from personal tragedy. He was just 12-years old when his team-mate lost his parents in a bomb blast at a bus station in Colombo. Five years later, Mahela lost his brother Dhishal Jayawardene to brain tumor. It made him look at life differently. At a stage when most of his peers were going through their puberty cycles, Mahela was already a man, ready to take on the world.

It comes as a no surprise that Mahela performed the best under pressure. In only his fourth Test, he conquered a Galle minefield, inspiring the hosts to a series-levelling innings victory against New Zealand thanks to a pristine 167.

While his marathon 374 in a world record 624-run stand with Sanga at the SSC hogs all the attention, his twin specials (61 and 119 that defied destiny to salvage an improbable draw) at Lord's sparked a significant change in Sri Lankan cricket, transforming a bunch of home lions into able tourists. The rearguard action started with a defiant 61 in the first innings and ended with Mahela's second ton in as many Tests at the HQ.

The additional responsibility of captaincy lifted his game to a an all new plane. A master in setting attacking in-out fields, Mahela used his strike bowlers - Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga - efficiently. His sharp reflexes in the slip cordon cannot be undermined either. Mahela- Muralitharan was the most prolific bowler- non-keeper combination with the former pouching as many as 77 catches off Murali. Under his watch, Sri Lanka also registered wins in West Indies and New Zealand.

Later on, in the aftermath of Tillakaratne Dilshan relinquishing captaincy following a series of reversals, Mahela took over the reins again, rebuilding the team with serenity and assurance - the way he did his innings. Mahela looked after every player, like a teacher ensuring that he had all his kids on a trip to an amusement park.

As a captain, Mahela never waited for things to happen. Instead, he made things happen by swooping in a wide slip or a catching cover or a catching mid-wicket or instigating a surprise bowling change.

Mahela also guided Sri Lanka to the final of the T20 World Cup in 2012 before passing the baton over to Angelo Mathews, who now averages 86.93 as Test captain.

Yes, one sees shades of Mahela Jayawardene in the aggressive leadership of Mathews, in the solidity of Kaushal Silva, in the placement of Dinesh Chandimal, in the gusto of Niroshan Dickwella, and in the perseverance of both Shaminda Eranga and Suranga Lakmal.

Mahela is the consummate team man. A gentleman cricketer of pure dignity and grace. A stylist in strife. As Sangakkara put it "Not just me, but the cricket world, the Sri Lankan fans and the whole team will feel the loss of a great player like Mahela. Everyone in the dressing room respects and admires his honesty, integrity, commitment, inner strength and great strategic vision."

Mahela produced a ravishing 88-ball 103 in the 2011 World Cup final but was topped by a Dhoni masterclass. He will now strive to go one better and end his ODI career with the World Cup glory, akin to his T20I farewell. Test cricket though will be poorer without his touch.